Guide for Eliminating Malware from Your Mac Computer
Protect your Mac from virus attacks, even when you doubt its necessity! Some red flags suggesting malware infection include slower performance, programs crashing randomly, or unknown software running. Here's what you should do if you suspect your Mac is infected:
Disconnect your machine
Cut off your Mac from the internet to prevent malware from spreading and communicating with bad actors. Log out of accounts requiring credentials as some malware has keylogging capabilities. Once your Mac is clean, reconnect.
Safe mode, safe moves
Shutdown your Mac and restart it in safe mode, as this prevents some software from loading and checks the startup disk. For Apple silicon Macs, press and hold the power button, choose a volume, and press Shift to continue in Safe Mode. For Intel Macs, restart, rapidly press Shift, and log in to enter safe mode.
Scan, identify, and eliminate
XProtect, Apple's built-in antivirus software, requires a second-opinion scanner to help detect and remove potential threats. PCMag recommends BitDefender for comprehensive malware protection. For free solutions, consider Avast or Malwarebytes.
Monitor everything
Activity Monitor helps identify suspicious processes or programs that might be malware. Look for unusual names or high CPU/memory usage, then quit them and close other applications until the issue is resolved.
Reset browser settings
Malware can alter browser settings, so reset them to their defaults. Safari doesn't offer a single restore settings button, but you can clear browsing data manually.
On Chrome, open Settings, tap Reset Settings, and select Restore settings to their original default. On Firefox, go to Menu > Help > More Troubleshooting Information and click Refresh Firefox > Refresh Firefox > Finish. Remove any unrecognized extensions slowing your browsing.
Purge temporary files
Delete temporary files created by malware that assist in operation or hiding. However, a malware scanner should identify these files, so deleting them is less crucial. Unfamiliar with temporary files? Avoid deleting files that improve your Mac's performance.
Restart or reinstall macOS
With no traces of malware left, restart your Mac normally. If you suspect remnants remain, reinstall macOS from Recovery, but only if you're confident the backup was made before the infection.
Keep your Mac safe from malware by exercising caution, using strong passwords, and regularly backing up data. Use our comprehensive guide to effectively secure your Mac against potential threats.
- Disconnect your Mac from the internet to prevent malware from spreading and automate communication with malicious actors, as keylogging capabilities might be employed.
- To ensure a secure environment for malware detection, reboot your Mac in safe mode, which isolates certain software from loading and tests the startup disk.
- In addition to XProtect, consider using a second-opinion scanner, such as BitDefender, Avast, or Malwarebytes, for comprehensive malware protection and threat elimination.
- Activity Monitor can help identify suspicious processes or programs that act like malware, like those with unusual names or high CPU/memory usage.
- After resetting browser settings to their default values, ensure to delete unrecognized extensions that may slow down your browsing and potentially pose a cybersecurity risk in data-and-cloud-computing environments.
